“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:19-20
I am so excited about my first sermon series of 2010! I am writing a book on building the greatest caring network that the world has ever seen. The first chapter asks the question “Why is it so hard for people to work together?” This was inspired by one of my favorite authors, Jim Collins. Jim taught at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, but he is most famous as a business consultant. I had the privilege of meeting him as he consulted with a small group of pastors after his book Good To Great became a best seller. He spoke about “level 5 leadership” as someone who embodied a paradoxical mix of personalhumility and professional will. I admire Jim as a researcher because he dares to challenge his own conclusions. His personal humility is not just something he writes about but he lives it out. After writing his best selling book he found that the principles of corporate America were causing a reverse consequence in non-profit organizations; so he wrote a monograph Good to Great in the Social Sector, correcting his earlier thoughts. It wasn’t that the ideas were wrong – he was admitting to his scientific findings that his research did not work in the same way in the non-profit sector. I remember when he spoke on this subject at the Willow Creek Summit and I remember thinking that scientists bring a lot of credibility to the scene when they humbly admit the limits of their research. Now that I think of it he was demonstrating level 5 leadership.
Recently I was inspired to read his book How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In. In this book headmits that companies he once held up as success models, no longer exist after the crash of the recession. In the beginning of this very fascinating book he says that at first he did not have any answers, but what he did have were relevant questions.This inspired the first chapter of my book. It is the question that every pastor secretly ponders in their deepest moments ofdiscouragement. It is the pivotal question that every business in decline must work out before they break out of the cycle ofdecline- - - Why is it so hard for people to work together? In an age where companies, countries, families and churches break up, the words of Jesus “Where two or three gather together as followers, I am there among them” are even more needed. The setting of this passage is that Jesus was dealing with sin in the church and doing it with dignity and graciousness.
This whole issue of being in agreement with God is the first of the Ten Commandments in Exodus Chapter 20. It is the first element to being filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. If we want to soar in the health that God has planned for us socially,relationally, cognitively, emotionally, physically, and spiritually we need to come into agreement with God. When someone is out of agreement with God they are dripping with pride. They just don’t care any more - they are so tired and hurt that they don’t want to hear about humility, repentance or agreement with God. Respect for imperfect people in imperfect situations is impossible without God! But how else are we going to get from here to there unless we climb onto God’s chariot of respect and dignity headed to new levels of victory?
Recently I was inspired to read his book How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In. In this book headmits that companies he once held up as success models, no longer exist after the crash of the recession. In the beginning of this very fascinating book he says that at first he did not have any answers, but what he did have were relevant questions.This inspired the first chapter of my book. It is the question that every pastor secretly ponders in their deepest moments ofdiscouragement. It is the pivotal question that every business in decline must work out before they break out of the cycle ofdecline- - - Why is it so hard for people to work together? In an age where companies, countries, families and churches break up, the words of Jesus “Where two or three gather together as followers, I am there among them” are even more needed. The setting of this passage is that Jesus was dealing with sin in the church and doing it with dignity and graciousness.
This whole issue of being in agreement with God is the first of the Ten Commandments in Exodus Chapter 20. It is the first element to being filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. If we want to soar in the health that God has planned for us socially,relationally, cognitively, emotionally, physically, and spiritually we need to come into agreement with God. When someone is out of agreement with God they are dripping with pride. They just don’t care any more - they are so tired and hurt that they don’t want to hear about humility, repentance or agreement with God. Respect for imperfect people in imperfect situations is impossible without God! But how else are we going to get from here to there unless we climb onto God’s chariot of respect and dignity headed to new levels of victory?
It is time! We have a new ReCreation Center. What new levels of healthy living will we be able to move to as we come into agreement with God? It has to be a breakthrough again in 2010!
Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim White
Your friend for the rest of my life,
Pastor Tim White
1 comment:
I loved Good To Great, one of the better books of the sort I've read. I have to admit, your question burns in me too - why can't people work together? I was thinking intently on that at work today. I wanted to share some useful information, but I knew it would be taken the wrong way. I don't like to cause waves, but I wont be walked over either. At my work, I hear people put other people down all the time. I think it's anchored in low self-esteem. It's not "building one another up" as written in Ephesians. I'm afraid there are often more questions than answers...I did not mean to turn this around to be about me, but I wanted to let you know Tim that this did resonate with me, and I relate. God Bless you.
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